OKLAHOMA CITY — Rather than curl in the fetal position after being pummeled throughout an embarrassing 106-89 loss to Oklahoma City, Nuggets guard Raymond Felton came out swinging.

Denver finds itself down 2-0 in this best-of-seven series NBA playoff series. All looks grim. But want to make Felton angry? Mention the possibility of a sweep by the Thunder.

"We're definitely coming back to Oklahoma City," Felton insisted Wednesday, his dare-me feistiness in sharp contrast to the sullen atmosphere of the visitors dressing room.

"We're going home to bounce back, get these next two games, one game at a time, and make it a series. We'll get our confidence back and be better prepared when we come back here. We're definitely coming back."

Talk is cheap.

What the Nuggets need is an action plan.

Denver coach George Karl hinted before the series that he would employ point guards Ty Lawson and Felton together on the court even more extensively than he did during the regular season.

Nevertheless, Karl did not make good on that threat until halftime of Game 2, with the Nuggets behind by 15 after two miserable quarters of being shut down by Oklahoma City's stifling interior defense.

Lawson and Felton started the third period as the Denver backcourt. They give the Nuggets an ability to create just enough havoc in the lane to give open jump shots to a team showing it misses Carmelo Anthony more than anyone wants to admit.

"My comfort zone is with the two little guys making plays for us," Karl said.

Playing two guards who could qualify for a 6-foot- and-under league, however, might leave the Nuggets too short to box with the long arms of twin Thunder beasts Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins under the boards. That's why it is essential 6-foot-5 guard Arron Afflalo gut out the lingering pain from a hamstring injury and be in uniform for Game 3. He vowed to be ready.

Since the trade of Anthony, Denver owns a sterling record of 18-5 against every NBA team not named Oklahoma City.

Against the Thunder, however, the new-look Nuggets are winless in four attempts.

Wasn't Denver supposed to have rediscovered the joy of defense in the absence of Melo? The Nuggets held the rest of the league to 99.5 points per game down the stretch of the regular season.

But Denver doesn't create points off turnovers against the Thunder. When Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook aren't torturing the Nuggets with jump shots, it's James Harden or Eric Maynor scoring uncontested baskets. Oklahoma City is averaging 104.5 points in four consecutive victories.

So you mean to tell me it's possible for an NBA team to have superstars and maintain a team concept?

Victimized by too many mismatches against Oklahoma City, Denver appears to be long on grit but short on talent in this series.

Down the stretch of Game 1, the Nuggets' offense resembled five guys at a restaurant with a hefty tab due, all of them looking off into space, hoping somebody else would pick up the check. At the outset of Game 2, every Denver starter came out so tight that the basketball seemed to weigh a ton on every shot.

It infuriates the Nuggets to think they could get swept away by the Thunder.

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It grates on Denver to watch a cocky Westbrook act as if he has won a shootout at the OK Corral every time he hits the target on a 3-point basket and then mimes a gunslinger putting pistols back in his holster.

Nuggets spies in the Thunder locker room after an Oklahoma City victory in Denver on April 5 claim Westbrook was outspoken in how his team would dominate its Northwest Division rival in a playoff matchup.

Denver might not win this series.

But the Nuggets can wipe the smirk off Westbrook's face.

"I'm not thinking about any negative odds," Felton said. "We're definitely coming back to Oklahoma City."

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